Clashes between junta forces and resistance groups continue near Kyone Doe in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, with nearby villages reportedly facing daily airstrikes and bomb attacks, according to local sources.
Since the second week of April, ongoing clashes along the Kawkareik–Kyone Doe road have prompted junta forces to carry out sustained aerial and drone bombings, targeting villages such as Kanni, Aukbotae, Kanmayaik, Yinkwea Taung, Ye Lukone, Koetaing, and others, according to local reports.
A resident from the Kanni area reported that an artillery shell fired by the military council struck and destroyed a mosque on April 21. The following day, April 22, at least two civilians in Kanmayaik were injured in an airstrike.
“They come with aircraft at least five times a day — and at night, it can go up to nine times. Every time they come, they drop bombs. They don’t always target homes, but they bomb monasteries, schools, and hospitals before flying away. It happens every single day,” the source said.
Additionally, no fewer than eight drone attacks were reported in the area on April 23.
Residents said that, along with civilian homes, many schools and monasteries had been destroyed. They also noted that the military council forces were bombing not only in areas where clashes occurred, but also in villages with no active fighting.
Due to the escalating violence, nearly 1,500 residents have fled to safer areas, including Mawlamyine. Most people from Kawkareik and Kyone Doe — located across the Gyaing River — have relocated to areas near Hpa-an. However, some residents reportedly remain trapped in their villages due to ongoing airstrikes.
A person assisting refugees in Mawlamyine said, “Every day, people are slowly starting to leave. They might have money, but there are no vehicles to help them. It’s hard to travel because they’re stuck in the middle of the conflict zone. When transport is available, they manage to escape. They only come out when the sounds of gunfire and shelling stop.”
Although the military council has declared a ceasefire, resistance groups say ground assaults are still ongoing, leading to continued clashes.
In the fighting around Kyone Doe, the People’s Defence Forces (PDF), the Mon State Party-AD, and the Mon Liberation Army (MLA) have reportedly joined forces with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in coordinated operations against the junta forces.
